Consulate General Holds Arrival Orientation, Consultative Workshop

Participants during the PAOS. (Jeddah PCG Photo)

JEDDAH 16 May 2018 – The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah held a Post Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) for OFWs on 12 May focusing on newly-arrived household service workers (HSWs). A total of 102 OFW participants attended the seminar. Twenty (20) employers and representatives of Saudi and Philippine Recruitment Agencies also joined the PAOS.

A ground-breaking activity, it was the first time in recent years that Saudi government offices were among the resource speakers in an event such as this. Officials from the Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development, Passport Department (Immigration) and the Police gave presentations and fielded questions from the participants on Saudi rules and regulations with regard to expatriates in the Kingdom.

Two Saudi lawyers from the Azzer Law Firm, the retainer law office of the Consulate General, also served as resource persons. They gave a brief lecture and answered questions on Saudi laws and customs. Another unique feature of the PAOS is the free legal clinic provided by Azzer, wherein participants to the seminar can consult the lawyer regarding their legal concerns at no cost.

After the seminar, a Consultative Workshop with 28 Filipino community representatives was conducted focusing on assistance to distressed Filipinos.

During the plenary session, each group presented their recommendations on how to provide assistance to Filipinos in distress for their assigned scenarios without the rescuers getting into trouble with the laws of the Saudi government. The results of the consultation will be forwarded to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Labor and Employment as policy recommendations.

Ambassador Adnan V. Alonto keynoted the event while Secretary Abul Khayr D. Alonto of the Mindanao Development Authority (MINDA) gave a brief inspirational message to the participants. END

Ambassador Alonto (leftmost) with Speakers from Saudi police.

Secretary Alonto gives his message to the FILCOM representatives.

For more information, visit www.jeddahpcg.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/philippine.consulate.jeddah.